#1 - Local Mission
The mission of Epworth Children’s Home is to serve children, youth, and families through a caring, accepting and safe Christian community, where hurts are healed; hope is nurtured; and faith in God, self, and others is developed.
Many children come into care with their entire possessions in a plastic bag. Many have only one or a few outfits. Gift cards allow Epworth to personalize clothing and shoes to taste and size. It also brings them a little joy in the midst of the chaos of losing their family to have the ability to pick out their own clothes.
Items of continuous need in addition to Wal-Mart or Target Gift Cards:
- New Luggage
- New Twin Comforters
- New Twin size plastic mattress covers
- Laptop computers for graduating seniors who will be entering college
- Shampoo and conditioner (all types of hair)
- Toothpaste and Toothbrushes
- Bath Soap - Dove and Dial
- Soap and toothbrush holders
- Deodorant
- Kitchen paper towels
- Tissues (e.g., Kleenex)
- New Clothes (tags attached)
Monetary donations should be marked “August Mission of the Month”
#2 - Connectional Misson
UMCOR needs school kits:
The latest shipment of school kits to Haiti has “seriously depleted” the stockpile kept by the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which is encouraging congregations to use kit-making as a group project or activity. The kits, which cost about $11 each to assemble, provide children with basic supplies such as paper, pencils and other items.
School Kit Assembly - Value: $ 11.00
- 1 pair blunt scissors (rounded tip only / no plastic scissors please)
- 3 pads of paper (spiral or top bound pads / 150 sheets of loose leaf can be substituted for 1 pad / combinations of spiral, top bound or loose leaf is acceptable)
- 1 hand held pencil sharpener (must be at least one inch long/remove from packaging)
- 1 30 centimeter ruler (hard or flexible/cartoon characters are acceptable/ no advertisements please)
- 6 unsharpened pencils (no advertisements/ cartoon characters are acceptable)
- 1 2 1/2 inch eraser (no advertisements/ cartoon characters are acceptable)
- 1 24 count box of crayons (only 24 count boxes, please)
- 1 14”x16” cloth bag (homemade or purchased bags are both acceptable / heavy duty fabric only—denim, corduroy, drapery fabric, etc./ no advertisements/ closures are optional but must be buttons, snaps or Velcro sewn in middle of opening if used)
Assembly Directions:
Place all loose items on top of paper. Turn items sideways and slide into the cloth bag. Fold over the top of the bag so loose items don’t fall out.
Important Notes
- All items must be new.
- All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items – nothing more.
- PLEASE NOTE: no advertisements, religious, patriotic, military or camouflage symbols, please;cartoon characters are acceptable.
- DO NOT include any personal notes, money or additional material in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.